Simply Serendipity
by Lady Godiva
Summary: With her life so messed up, Rogue decides that she needs a break. So she leaves the Institute for 3 years. When she comes back, everything is different. Throw in our favorite Ragin' Cajun and a sinister villain and there's bound to be trouble. Romy
1. Prologue

A/N: This is really just a prologue, nothing vitally important happens in this chapter, but its good background information on Rogue's standing with certain X-Team members upon her departure. So read this and then go on to the next chapter and don't forget to review!

"I don't understand."

Rogue sighed and closed her eyes, trying to think of the best way to explain her position to the bewildered professor sitting in front of her.

"Ah just… Ah need ta clear mah head. Ah thought that after the whole Apocalypse thing that things would be different, but… Ah can't do it anymore Prof. Ah can't pretend lahke everything's okay when Ah know its not. Ah need ta figure out what Ah believe, who Ah really am. And that's something Ah have ta do alone."

The room filled with a heavy silence. Charles Xavier carefully pondered all that Rogue had told him. He knew that no matter what he said, Rogue would leave, nothing would change that, but her desire that he give her his blessing was quite evident.

Xavier's thoughts were racing a mile a minute. He should have seen it coming, should have sensed her distress. He understood why Rogue wanted to leave, but her decision could not have come at a worse time. With all of the anti-mutant uprisings and the recent defeat of Apocalypse, losing any team member, even if it were only temporary, would be… difficult to say the least. However, if Rogue's doubts were left unanswered, that too could be disastrous.

"Are you resigning your position on the team, then?"

"No," replied the goth, shaking her two-toned head. "Ah'd lahke ta think of it as an extended vacation."

"Very well then, where were you planning to head? Ireland can be quite nice this time of year and I have a friend who would be more than happy to…"

"No professor, Ah have ta do this on mah own." The defiant look in her emerald eyes did not leave the matter open for discussion.

"I see. Well, when do you plan to leave?"

Rogue shrugged. "Ah don't know. Ah guess tomorrow. The sooner the better, raght?"

"If that is what you wish."

"Thanks Prof, ya don't know what this means ta mah."

Rogue stood to leave. She was almost completely out of the room before Professor Xavier spoke again.

"And when do you think you will return?"

Rogue stopped, but didn't turn around. "When Ah have control."

With that, Rogue left the professor to his own thoughts.

* * *

"You're what?!"

"Ah'm leaving Kit."

"I like heard you Rogue. But why?"

Rogue began to gently rub her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Because Ah have some things Ah gotta sort out, some issues Ah have ta solve."

"Are you like leaving for good?"

"No Kitty, Ah'll be back, eventually."

"Eventually?! You so can't leave us now, what will we like do without you?"

Rogue rolled her eyes and finished zipping up her last suitcase. "Ya'll manage Ah'm sure."

Sweeping her eyes over the now half-empty room one last time, Rogue made her way to the door, lugging all of her bags behind her.

"You're like really doing this, aren't you?"

Rogue turned around and offered Kitty an apologetic look. "Ah'm sorry Kit, really Ah am, but this is something Ah have ta do."

Kitty bit her bottom lip and began to play with the hem of her shirt, a nervous habit of hers. "Well, I guess if there's like nothing I can do to stop you… be safe, ok Rogue?"

"Ah promise."

* * *

"Kurt, please say something."

"Vhat's zere to say?"

Rogue winced at the look her blue brother was giving her. It wasn't so much the anger that was written across his face as it was the disappointment in his eyes. She hated having to let him down yet again.

"Kurt…"

"Just go Rogue. Vhy did you even bother coming to talk to me? Vhat do you vant me to say? Zat's its all fine? Vell, its not."

"Kurt, please, just listen ta me, will ya? Its not lahke Ah'm intentionally trying ta hurt ya, Ah just…"

"Save it ok? I don't need your excuses Rogue."

"Ah'm just trying ta make things raght, ta make things better. Ya gotta understand."

"Vell I don't. You're just being selfish, leaving ze X-Men at such a crucial time."

"What do ya want from mah Kurt? For Gawd's sake! Do ya want mah ta pretend lahke its all ok? Lahke nothing's wrong? Ah can't do that anymore Kurt. Ah'm tired of living an empty life."

"Empty?" Kurt repeated, his eyes narrowing. "If you're life here is so _empty_, leave Rogue. Zere is nobody stopping you."

And with a puff of smoke he was gone. Rogue tightly clenched her jaw and continued out of the mansion, hoping that she wouldn't encounter any more of its inhabitants. She knew it was cruel, but she hated goodbyes and the last thing she wanted to hear at that moment was one more person trying to talk her out of it. She was nearly halfway up the gravel driveway when she heard a noise behind her.

"Stripes?"

Turning around, Rogue faced the last person she wanted to see, Logan. "Yeah?"

He didn't say anything, just looked at her for a while. She gently set her bags down and crossed her arms over her chest. The silence dragged on for what seemed like hours, though it was only a few minutes, and it wasn't long before Rogue felt forced to break the unpleasant quiet, lest it suffocate her.

"Ah'm not running, Logan."

"I know."

"Ah just have ta get away for a while, Ah have ta figure some things out."

"I know."

"But Ah'll be back."

"I know."

"Are ya gonna say anything aside from 'Ah know'?"

"Where you heading?"

"Ah don't know, wherever the wind takes mah Ah guess."

"How you gonna get there?"

Rogue shrugged. "No clue. Ah'll figure something out eventually."

Logan sighed and shook his head. Moving forward, he grabbed Rogue's bags in his hands and began walking back down the driveway and towards the mansion. Without saying a word, Rogue followed him, curious as to what he was up to.

As they made their way into the garage, Logan set her bags down and threw up the garage door. Rogue's brow furrowed as she caught sight of the unfamiliar car parked in front of her. It wasn't nearly as nice as the other cars parked beside it, but it wasn't too shabby either.

"Here," Logan said, tossing Rogue the keys to the black 1999 Jeep Cherokee SE. "Its yours."

Rogue's eyes bulged out as she glanced toward the Wolverine, trying to tell whether or not he was serious.

"Ya're giving mah a _car_? After Ah just told ya Ah'm leaving? Why?"

Logan shrugged. "I bought it a while back and I've been working on it off and on ever since. I thought you'd need it eventually and I was right."

"Ya mean, ya knew that Ah…" Logan nodded. "But how?"

"We're a lot a like, you and me, kid. I would have done the same thing in your position. Besides, I'd rather have you driving alone than hitchhiking with some psycho mutant-hater."

"Logan, Ah don't know what ta say."

"Then don't say anything," he replied as he loaded her bags into the jeep.

"Logan?"

The burly man turned towards the gothic Southerner. He caught the question in her eyes and sighed deeply, knowing that he couldn't give her the answer she was looking for.

"I just want you to be happy Stripes, no matter what that means."

Rogue nodded and closed her eyes tightly, trying to keep her emotions in check for just a bit longer. Salty tears threatened to flow from her eyes, but she couldn't let that happen. One slip and she knew her resolve would crumble.

Logan reached his hand out and cupped her face, causing her eyes to snap open in surprise. He smiled lightly at her and wiped away a renegade tear that trickled down her cheek. The two stayed like that for a minute, Logan's gloved hand lightly cupping Rogue's pale cheek, offering her what little comfort he could. Finally releasing her, Logan took a step back and stared at her confidently, giving her the one thing she need the most, reassurance.

"Everything's gonna be all right, Stripes."

"Ah know," she replied. And before she could change her mind, Rogue reached out and quickly embraced the man standing in front of her.

"Thanks for everything Logan."

Climbing into her jeep, Rogue started up the car and rolled down the window, glancing one last time at Logan.

"You'll be fine darlin', just follow your instincts. They'll take you where you need to go."

"Ah don't know when, but Ah will see ya again Logan, Ah promise."

"Ah know Stripes, Ah know."

Logan backed up, allowing Rogue to drive the Jeep out of the garage, up the driveway, and out of sight. Both were fully aware of just how much this quest would change the southern goth, though be it for better or worse was yet to be foreseen.

A/N: Hope you like it so far. Please read and review because it does help and, anyone who's a writer, knows how good it feels to know you are appreciated.


	2. Chapter One

A/N: This story takes place three years after Rogue left the X-Men. You'll learn about what happened in those three years via flashbacks. So any questions you might have, save them. I'll probably answer them later. Oh, Rogue left when she was 18, making her 21. And Remy is 24. Have fun!

_Three years later_

Rogue's hands tightly clenched the steering wheel of her black jeep, which was parked in the driveway of Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters. It was late and although she knew that her mind blocks were more than enough to keep a sleeping Professor and Jean unaware of her arrival, there was nothing she could have done to keep Wolverine from hearing the crunching of the gravel beneath her car. So staying in the comfort of the jeep was not an option.

Rogue took a deep breath, climbed out of her car, walked up the steps, and into the Institute. She took in her surroundings and noticed that, for the most part, it hadn't changed one bit. She silently made her way through the halls to reacquaint herself with the building, though Rogue knew it was unnecessary. She knew every crack and crevice of the mansion perfectly; it had, after all, been her home for three years.

Before she could head upstairs, Rogue heard the soft padding of footsteps a few feet behind her. She smiled to herself. No matter how quietly he moved, her trained ear would catch even the slightest bit of noise, giving away his position. It was an ability she had picked up on her sabbatical. Rogue pivoted and faced the man who stood only a foot behind her.

"Hey."

After a brief pause, in which he debated whether or not he would berate her, he spoke. "Its been three years."

"Ah know," she replied with an apologetic tone.

"Find what you were looking for?"

Rogue shrugged. "Ah guess. Well, not really, but it works, it works for mah anyway."

Silence engulfed the two until he could no longer endure it and was forced to pull the young woman into a bone-crushing embrace. She smiled lightly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Its good to have you home Stripes." The muffled words could barely be heard, yet alone understood. But she would have known what he meant with or without him voicing his thoughts.

"Its good ta be back Logan. Ah missed ya."

Releasing his hold on her, Logan moved a step back and slowly took in all of the changes she had undergone. The curves of her body had matured, growing softer, yet more obvious. Her two-toned hair was the same length, but far more tamed than it had been, falling perfectly in place beside her still pale face. She had stopped wearing as much makeup, though she did still have the dark lipstick. What was perhaps most apparent was her obvious change in style. She seemed to be far more relaxed, donning a pair of stylish black pants and a tight, forest green tank top while a brown trench coat covered the exposed skin. He noticed that, in three years, she had not gotten a new pair of gloves and had to smile upon realizing that some things would never change.

"Where'd you end up going?"

"Everywhere, but Ah guess mostly in tha south. There were some questions Ah needed answered."

"And?"

Rogue sighed. "Ah didn't learn what Ah went lookin' for, but Ah'm ok with that. Ah guess some things are just meant ta be a mystery, raght?"

"I suppose."

"But anyway, Ah'm assumin' everyone's asleep?"

"Its two in the morning Stripes, of course they're asleep."

"Oh. Hey Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"Ah'm sorry. Ah know Ah should've called more often, Ah just…" she trailed off, unable to come up with a plausible reason as to why she had only called three times.

"Its ok darlin'. Trust me, I understand."

Rogue smiled. "Thanks, Ah just hope the others are as forgivin'."

Smirking, Logan replied "I doubt it kid, they were pretty upset after you left."

"Ah know Ah should've told them, but Ah was afraid they'd try and persuade mah ta stay. Even worse, Ah was afraid they'd succeed. Ah just had ta do it and, even if Ah went about it tha wrong way, Ah feel as if Ah made the right decision."

"I suppose that's all that really matters, that you feel you made the right choice." Logan rubbed the back of his neck subconsciously, a true sign that he was trying to think of how to phrase his next sentence carefully. "So is this it? Are you back to stay?"

Rogue nodded. "Ah think so. Ah mean there's something Ah really want ta do, but Ah guess Ah figure its time to just leave it up ta chance, ya know?"

"Yeah. Rogue, did you…"

He caught the look of disappointment in her emerald eyes and immediately knew the answer to his unspoken question. "No, Ah didn't. But that's ok because Ah've learned ta deal with it and quite mopin' around all day. Ah guess Ah've grown ta except tha way things are."

He nodded, completely understanding the true meaning of her words. "You know the professor's gonna wanna talk to you later today."

"Ah know and Ah'm ready ta talk whenever he is. But for now, do ya have a spare bedroom Ah could sleep in? Ah could use a couple of hours of rest."

"You remember where your bedroom was right?" Rogue nodded. "Good because we never touched it, its exactly the same way you left it three years ago."

"Really? Well, then Ah guess Ah'll just go get mah bags and…"

"No need," Logan said interrupting her. "I'll bring it up to you. You go on ahead."

"Are you sure?"

"You look tired Rogue, I'll handle it."

Rogue blew at a strand of hair that had fallen out of place. "Ah hate it when people say ya look tired. It always means that they think ya look lahke shit."

Logan snorted and headed outside to get her bags. He smiled slightly when he realized that, in three years, she had not upgraded the vehicle for a newer and better one. As he collected her bags out of the back seat, he couldn't help but notice a picture taped to the dashboard. Logan's smile widened considerably as he looked upon the picture; it was one of the few times both he and Rogue had been caught smiling on camera. Shaking his head at the memory of Amara chasing around a terrified Bobby, who had stolen all of her underwear and frozen them (the reason for their smiles), Logan headed inside the mansion and up to Rogue's room.

He hadn't been lying when he told her that they hadn't changed a thing in her absence. The room still had its gothic feel to it, with bands such as Korn and Garbage decorating the walls, and nothing, not even the T-shirt lying in the corner, had been moved. Logan set down Rogue's bags and glanced towards her bed. He shook his head when he saw that she was already fast asleep. Walking over to her, he covered her with a spare blanket lying on the chair by her vanity.

"Sleep well Stripes, you're gonna be in for a rough ride when you wake."

With that, Logan slipped out of the room, silently closing the door behind him. He headed to his own bedroom, but couldn't help but smirk when he began to envision all that would occur later that afternoon. It would be interesting, that was for sure.

* * *

Rogue yawned and slowly sat up. She opened her eyes and tensed.

_Oh shit,_ she thought_. Where am Ah?_

She visibly relaxed when she remembered that she was back at the Institute. Throwing the blanket off of her, Rogue rubbed her eyes sleepily and glanced at the clock. It read 10 am. She groaned and fought the urge to fall back onto her bed. It was time she got up and faced everyone.

Forcing herself to get out of bed, Rogue stumbled over to her suitcases and began to sift through her clothes. Eventually, she decided on wearing a short black leather skirt with fishnet stockings, a deep crimson short-sleeved shirt, and her trench coat. After she brushed out her hair, Rogue glanced in the mirror and cringed.

_Ah really need ta wash mah face._

Grabbing the small bag of toiletries out of her suitcase, Rogue made her way down the hall and into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her and proceeded to wash her face. She had stopped wearing the heavy makeup nearly two years ago, though she kept the dark lipstick. That was just a part of her style, the rest had been used to hide her emotions. But, seeing as how she didn't need help with that anymore, Rogue found it useless and time-consuming. When she was satisfied with her appearance, Rogue returned her things to her room and then headed down to the kitchen.

She stopped just short of the door. Rolling her eyes at all the noise coming from inside, she realized that some things would never change. Taking a deep breath, Rogue pushed the door open and strolled into the kitchen. It seemed that no one noticed her at first. But when Jubilee, apparently the only one facing her, stopped mid-rant and began gawking at her, everyone just had to turn around and see what had finally shut up the furious girl.

"Rogue!" Kitty squealed, the first to react.

Phasing through several people, Kitty threw herself onto the Southern goth, catching her off guard and nearly knocking her over. Rogue laughed hugged her friend back, a bit thrown-off by Kitty's surprising show of affection. But that was all it took for all the younger X-Men to also hurl themselves at the woman standing in front of them. Only the older ones, the ones more affected by her sudden departure, stood back. Some were debating if they wanted to hug her or kill her, others just plain confused and still in shock.

"Where were you?"

"You look great!"

"Did ya visit tha south?"

"What have you been doing?"

"Did you bring me anything?"

Rogue tried to fend off the teens and all their questions and was having no success until who should walk, or rather roll, in but Professor Charles Xavier. He smiled knowingly at Rogue. Though he had not sensed her presence on the property due to her considerable mind blocks, Logan had told him that morning that she was back.

"I think that Rogue would like to have her personal space back now," he stated kindly to the New X-Men, and Kitty.

Smiling sheepishly, they backed off and Rogue felt much more at ease immediately. Professor Xavier glanced around the room and noted the looks, and sometimes loud thoughts, that each of the older students held. Though she had just gotten back, Charles felt it would be best if the students' questions were answered as soon as possible, as well as his questions.

"Rogue, would you and the older X-Men follow me please?"

Xavier wheeled out the room and down the hall, his eldest students following close behind. Rogue walked in front of them, feeling awkward knowing that they were all staring at her, analyzing her, wondering about her. Kitty was the only one who stood next to her, offering her a reassuring smile when Rogue glanced her way.

As the students entered his office and sat on the comfortable chairs and couches, Xavier sent telepathic messages to the senior members who were not already there.

"Its good to have you back Rogue. There have been a few changes that have occurred since your departure, including new members."

No sooner had he spoken than three figures entered the room, Logan, Ororo, and one very surprising figure

"What in tha blazes are ya doing here?"

Heat rushed up Piotr Rasputin's face as he tried to avoid the suspicious glare the infamous Rogue was sending him. "I am part of team now," he said, his thick Russian accent making his words slightly difficult to understand.

Rogue raised her eyebrow at his statement and glanced toward the Professor. "He is a part of our team now Rogue. As I told you earlier, there have been many changes since you left, but we can talk more on that later. For now, I believe the students have many questions they would like answered, if you would."

Rogue sighed and nodded her head in agreement. "Ah guess Ah do owe y'all an explanation."

"You think?" Scott asked sarcastically.

Rogue bit back a retort, knowing full well that she deserved any biting remarks they might throw at her. She had, after all, seemingly abandoned them. "Look, Ah'm sorry Ah just up and left without telling ya guys, Ah know that was wrong and selfish of mah. But Ah can't change what Ah've done. Ah left ta clear mah head. After all that'd happened, Ah was so confused. Ah didn't have any clue who Ah really was, what Ah believed. When Ah'd finally settled in at tha Institute, felt lahke Ah truly belonged, Ah find out that Mystique is mah mother and had been deceiving mah for months. Then, before Ah've even recovered from that, she has mah awaken Apocalypse. And after we'd finally taken him down… It was just too much for mah. Ah had ta, needed ta get away, before Ah broke down. Ah know it doesn't excuse what Ah did, but at least ya know why Ah did it."

Silence filled the room as its inhabitants processed what Rogue had said. Most were surprised she had been so honest. And, in the past, she would never had told them all that she had. But enough time heals most wounds and can significantly change a person. Being on her own, well, mostly on her own, for three years had done something to Rogue. It made her more aware, more mature, and it gave her a wisdom that she had not possessed before, even though she knew she still had much to learn.

"So, like, where did you go?" Kitty asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Rogue hesitated, not wanting to reveal all of what had happened over the past three years. Not yet anyway. "Mostly Mississippi, though Ah visited Louisiana and Alabama a bit too."

_Well, its not too far from tha truth._ Rogue thought to herself.

"How did you get by?"

Rogue turned her gaze to the pretty redhead and took notice of how much she had changed. Her hair was shorter, falling only a bit beyond her shoulders and her curves had smoothed out. Jean's eyes had a strange red tint to them, which Rogue found strange, but cool nonetheless. And she seemed more relaxed, as was obvious from the way she carried herself, still confident, but a little less righteous, as if the lines had grayed a bit.

"Ah had various jobs, mostly waiting on tables, but some other things too."

_Some other illegal things._ Rogue glanced over to the Professor, hoping he hadn't heard her. From the lack of any emotion, aside curiosity, she saw there, she assumed he hadn't.

The conversation continued smoothly. They asked her the typical stuff, where did she stay, did she meet anyone interesting, and the like. Though her answers were factual for the most part, there were certain details that she had left out and some things she had fabricated to cover up for said details. There were just some things she wanted to keep to herself, at least for now.

When the meeting finally let out, Rogue felt more at ease with her teammates, who seemed to be all right with the way things were. Scott seemed a bit wary, but she knew that, in time, he would get over it. Rogue knew that he still considered her a part of the team; she was especially sure of this when he offered her an apologetic look for his biting remark earlier as he left.

Kurt stayed behind the rest, the same look of disappointment in his eyes that had been there three years ago. "Did you find a life vith more meaning?"

His words stung worse than he knew and she decided not to answer his question, especially since she didn't even know whether or not she could answer it honestly. "Kurt, Ah know you're hurt…"

"Hurt!" he shouted, interrupted her. "Hurt? You have no idea Rogue. Do you zink zat you vere ze only one confused, in pain? I vas hurting! I had lost my muzer, as horrible as she vas at ze job, and zen I lost my sister. Did you zink zat you're departure vould have no effect on me? Come on, Rogue. I know zat you're not zat stupid."

"Look, Ah know Ah messed up. Ah know Ah hurt ya and Ah wish ta God that Ah could change that, but Ah can't." For what seemed like the millionth time that week, Rogue sighed. "Kurt, Ah know Ah haven't been a very good sister ta ya, but Ah'd lahke ta try, Ah'd lahke ta start over."

Kurt folded his arms across his chest. "I'm still mad at you."

"Ah know."

"But I guess zat three years is long enough of a grudge," he said with a small smile, which caused Rogue to smile slightly as well.

"Thanks Kurt, ya don't know what this means ta mah."

"Ich denke, dass ich mache. But I have to go. I promised Scott zat I vould help him vith a training session vith the younger X-Men. I'll see you around Rogue." (I think I do.)

"Ah'll see ya Blue Boy."

Kurt rolled his eyes at one of his many nicknames and bamfed down to the Danger Room. With her mind at ease, for the moment at least, Rogue walked out of the Professor's office and down to the gardens. It had been a day full of surprises. First she discovered that Piotr was an X-Men, then she was told that Magneto had stopped his mutant terrorist ways, at least for the time being, and that she could expect that he would drop by periodically to either chat with Xavier or run his own Danger Room sessions with the X-Men. They also informed her that the Brotherhood and Pyro were apart of an organization called SHIELD and the Acolytes had disbanded, though the latter she already knew.

Rogue took a deep breath and laid down on the grass. The sun was in her eyes, but she didn't care. She just loved the feeling of freedom and the peace of silence. And the sun only seemed to make it all more beautiful. It was the perfect time of day, in the hot-loving Southerner's opinion, to lie in the grass.

But then suddenly the sun was gone, blocked out by a very tall source, and her peace was disturbed. Rogue's eyes snapped open and looked up in shock. She hadn't heard the person walk up, which was very unusual. Only one person could sneak up on her, but it couldn't be… Her eyes widened; she couldn't see the man's face, but his familiar stance, the clothes he was wearing… it had to be! But how could it be? Rogue was on her feet in a second and her suspicions were confirmed as she finally came face to face with the man in front of her. It _was_ him.

"Bonjour, ma belle femme. Fancy seein' yo' hear, non?"

His trademark smirk was plastered onto his face, only enhancing his sexy features. He was wearing a pair of relatively loose jeans and a tight black shirt with his trench coat to top it all off. Rogue stopped breathing for a moment, not truly believing that he was standing here in front of her. By some miracle, she managed to utter a single word.

"Remy…"

His smirk turned into a smile and his demon eyes lit up excitedly. "Oui chere. It looks like we meet again."

A/N: I hope you guys liked the first chapter. Please read and review because it makes a world of difference and I love hearing things that you liked or didn't like. But no flames if you will, I find them rather unproductive.


	3. Chapter Two

A/N: OK, I'm gonna note a few slight alterations. I'm changing what happened in "Cajun Spice" for the purpose of my story. The Rippers did kidnap Jean-Luc, but they are not affiliated with the Beaudreux family. Julien, his father, and Belladonna are members of the Assassins Guild, just as Remy is a member of the Thieves Guild. So basically Julien and Remy did not fight and Rogue has not met him (Julien). And I didn't like how much of an ass Jean-Luc was, so that's also changed. Let's just say that Remy and Jean-Luc were in a fight (or something like that) at the moment. All clear? Hope so! Anyways, onward!

Chapter Two

_Two years earlier…_

_Rogue walked down the bustling streets of New Orleans, her emerald eyes occasionally scanning the crowd. She had no logical explanation for visiting the city, Rogue knew it would not contain any of the answers that she was seeking. But there was something that called her to it, something that urged her with all its might to travel to New Orleans._

Or perhaps someone? _One of the many voices asked her._

_Rogue shook her head. She was **not** here because of Gambit, or at least that's what she kept trying to tell herself. It was true that, since he whisked her away on their little adventure, Rogue had found herself unable to stop thinking about him. But he was not the reason she was currently in New Orleans._

Nope, Gambit has nuthin' ta do with it._ She said to herself, although the fact that she had his queen of hearts card tucked safely away in her back pocket did not add to her argument in the least bit._

_Shaking her head, Rogue tried to focus on **anything**_ _aside from the sexy Cajun. Like figuring out where the hell she was._

"Oh shit," _she mumbled._

_She glanced around her and tried to figure out where she was, but had no such luck. Rogue had forgotten to pay attention to street signs as her mind had been occupied by more… interesting things._

Damn that Cajun, even when he's **_not_** around, he still causes trouble fah mah. _Taking a deep breath, Rogue attempted to calm herself. There was no use getting all worked up, she would simply have to ask someone for directions. As she was about to stroll into the store to her right, she felt a tap on her shoulder._

"'Scuse m' _mademoiselle_, but yo' seem a bit confused. Are yo' lost?"

_Rogue turned around and was surprised to find a very good looking man standing behind her. He had dirty blonde hair that ran down to his shoulders, deep blue eyes, and an earring in his right ear. He smiled at her._

"Actually, Ah think Ah am."

"Well I'd be glad t' help yo' find yo' way back. De name is Julien Beaudreux."

_Rogue hesitantly shook his outstretched hand. _"Mah name is Rogue."

"A pleasure t' meet yo'. Now where are yo' stayin'?"

"Ah think its called Annie's Bed and Breakfast."

"I know de place well. I can take yo' dere now if yo'd like."

"That'd be great, thanks."

_The two made there way down various streets and Rogue was surprised at the complicated path she had taken. Julien seemed nice. He told her of all the tourist traps that were a waste of her time, where the "hot spots" were, and what streets she should avoid. Although some of it she already knew due to the fact that she had absorbed some of Remy's memories. Rogue noticed Julien had stopped, but it wasn't in front of her hotel._

"Yo' hungry Rogue? Dis little place has de best jambalaya."

_Rogue shifted her weight to her left foot, a bit tentative about eating lunch with the stranger. He seemed nice enough, but she had been fooled before. _"Well, Ah don't know…"

"I promise I ain't gon' t' try anything'. I jus' wanna feed yo'."

_Rogue shrugged and decided to take the man up on his offer. What was the worst that could happen? If she felt uncomfortable all she had to do was touch him and run. So she nodded._ "Sure, why not?"

_Julien opened the door on his right and held it open for her to step in. The ambiance of the little restaurant felt very southern and natural to Rogue. It had an almost cozy feel to it and she immediately felt at home. Jazz music echoed softly through out the restaurant as she and Julien took one of the corner tables. A few minutes later, the waitress came up to their table to take their order._

"Hey Julien. What'll it be? De usual?"

_Julien nodded. _"Rogue, dis is Sara. Sara, dis is Rogue."

_Sara smiled warmly at Rogue. _"Welcome t' de Big Easy, Rogue. What can I get fo' yo'?"

"Thanks, Ah'll take a cup of jambalaya and a water."

"I'll bring dat right out fo' yo' two." _With that, Sara walked off, leaving Julien and Rogue alone._

"So, what part o' Mississippi are yo' from?"

"Caldecott County, actually. How'd ya know?"

_Julien smiled. _"Yo' accents pretty t'ick. I t'ink any true Southerner could tell."

"Ah guess ya raight. So, do ya lahke living in N'awlins?"

"Dere's no place better. M' sister, father, and I have lived here since I can remember. It's a little rough on de edges, but it grows on yo', non?"

_Sara brought the jambalaya and the two voiced their thanks. As they began to eat the delicious Southern dish, Julien turned the conversation over to her._

"So, how long are yo' visitin' fo'?"

_Rogue shrugged._ "Ah dunno. Fah however long Ah want, Ah guess. Ah don't really have a set schedule or anythang."

"Yo' made any plans at all fo' yo' free time?"

"Nope. Ah was just gonna take it as it came, ya know?"

_Julien nodded._ "Maybe I could take yo' on a boat ride one day. Yo' could meet m' sister, Belladonna. She's a bit crazy, but I t'ink yo' might get along well. Yo' ever been jet skiing?"

"Once a long tahme ago, but Ah don't really remember how ta do it anymore."

"Well den, yo' should definitely come wit' me and Bella one o' dese days."

"Maybe," _Rogue said cautiously. Jet skiing meant having to wear a bathing suit and that meant skin exposure, which was something she really wasn't comfortable with. But she didn't want to let Julien know she was a mutant, seeing as how she didn't know him that well and wasn't about to say "hey, Ah'm a mutant and if ya touch mah skin, ya can die."_

_The conversation continued with its light tone. Julien told her lots about his life in New Orleans, but the more he said, the more Rogue got the feeling that he was holding something back. It was the same feeling she had felt around Remy, before she absorbed that guy from the Rippers and discovered that he was the son of Jean-Luc LeBeau, head of the Thieves Guild._

_Half an hour later, the door, which was behind Rogue, opened and Julien looked up. A smirk crept onto his face when he saw who it was. Curious, Rogue tried to turn her head so as to get a better look, but some woman was blocking her view, so she went back to eating her jambalaya. Julien leaned back in his chair and raised his voice as he called to the man._

"Well, look who it is. Been a while, non?"

_The man he was talking to caught sight of him, grinned, and walked up to their table, finally giving Rogue a good look at him. When she caught sight of the man, her eyes widened and she nearly choked on her jambalaya._

"Julien, what kinda trouble are yo' gettin' yo'self int' now?"

"I'm jus' havin' dinner wit' one o' de prettiest _femmes_ in N'awlins."

"Oh really? And what _femme_ in her right mind would agree t' eat wit' a scoundrel like yo'?" _Remy replied raising an eyebrow. As he turned to face her, Rogue caught the look of shock in his red on black eyes._

"Remy LeBeau meet Rogue."

"Oh, we've met before," _Rogue said and she couldn't help but notice the smile that had crept onto Remy's face._

"_Oui_, Rogue an' Remy go way back, right _chere_?"

_Julien eyed the two suspiciously. _"Oh really now?"

"Rogue is de _femme _dat Remy told yo' about, Julien. De one who helped Remy rescue _mon pere_."

_Julien's eyes widened. _"Oh, so she's de girl dat yo' wouldn't shut up about?"

_Remy chuckled. _"_Oui."_

_Julien's eyes glinted with knowledge. He glanced down at his watch and stood, as if just realized he had some place he had to be. _"I didn't notice how late it was. Since yo' two "go way back" I'm sure yo' wouldn't mind me leavin' yo' in de capable hands o' Mr. Le Beau. He'd be mo' den happy t' show yo' de way back t' yo' place, m' sure." _Julien and Remy shared a look. _"I'd better be on m' way den. Places t' go, people t' see. I'm sure I'll see yo' around sometime Rogue. It was a pleasure, t' be sure." _Julien threw some cash onto the table, winked at Rogue, and left._

_Remy shook his head at his friend, but took the seat across from Rogue nonetheless. _"So, how yo' been _petite_?"

_Rogue shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant, though her heart wouldn't stop its wild beating. _"Okay Ah guess."

"De other X-men around? Or is it jus' yo'?"

"Ah'm by mahself."

_Remy had to stop himself from smiling. _So obviously she's not here on business, _he thought. _Possibly pleasure?

"Well, where are yo' stayin'?"

"Annie's Bed and Breakfast."

_Remy wrinkled his nose a bit. _"No friend o' Remy's gon' t' be staying at a bed an' breakfast."

_Rogue crossed her arms under her chest and raised one of her eyebrows. _"Who said Ah was ya friend?"

"Well, if we ain't friends, den what are we?"

_Rogue snorted. _"Ah dunno, but Ah'm pretty sure that friends don't kidnap each other."

"Fair enough. Well den let Remy put yo' up in some place nice as part o' his apology t' yo'."

_Rogue hesitated. Was it really a wise decision to trust the sexy Cajun again? He had fooled her once, it wasn't entirely impossible for him to do so again. Each of her psyches were spouting off advice, but she tried to block them out._

I think you should like go with him. He seems genuine enough and you know from the last time you absorbed him that he didn't like mean to hurt you. Besides if he like tries anything, you can just zap him.

_Rogue mentally rolled her eyes. Of course it was that Kitty would say something like that. In Rogue's opinion, the girl shouldn't trust people so much. But at the same time, she had to recognize the truth behind the psyche's words…_

"Why not?"

_Remy smiled and swiftly took Rogue's hand in his, kissed it, and then released it just as quickly. _"Merci bocoup, ma chere."

_Rogue rolled her eyes. _"Ah ain't ya chere, swamp rat."

_Remy grinned. _Jus' yo' wait, Rogue. Jus' yo' wait, _he thought. But instead of saying so, Remy just shook his head and stood. He lead Rogue out of the restaurant and down the street._

"C'mon _chere_, Remy's gon' t' show yo' jus' what N'awlins is all about."

* * *

Present Day…

"What are ya doing here?"

Remy chuckled. "_Chere_, what kinda 'ello is dat?"

Rogue smiled as she welcomed the hug that Remy gave her. "One fit fah a swamp rat."

"Yo' wound po' Remy, _petite_," Remy said jokingly. He took a step back and lifted his right hand, lightly tugging on one of her white streaks. "Remy missed yo', Rogue."

"Ah know," she said quietly. "Ah missed ya ta." Glancing around the garden, Rogue realized that they were not in the most secluded place and so motioned for him to follow her. "Come on, we gotta talk."

Rogue led Remy through a path in the forest that led to the gazebo on the cliff behind the mansion. Once they got there, Rogue and Remy sat on the white benches and Remy took Rogue's hand in his and kissed the back of it. As he lowered the hand from his lips, he did not let go, but instead grasped it tightly, lightly making circles with his thumb.

"What is it, _chere_?"

"Ah don't want tha X-Men ta know about mah stay in N'awlins just yet. Ah know the questions it'll bring and Ah don't think Ah'm ready ta answer all of 'em. They know Ah was in Louisiana fah a bit, but they don't know fah how long or what Ah really did down there."

"Is Remy dat embarrassin' _petite_?" Rogue couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"No Remy, its not that. Ah just… Ah really changed down there, ya know? And Ah'm not ready ta tell them why. Ah'm still confused, Remy. And Ah don't need ta add their questions ta mah own."

Remy nodded, completely understanding what she meant. "Don' worry about it Rogue, yo' secrets are safe wit' Remy. But… if yo' t'ink dat Remy is jus' gon' sit back an' pretend dat he don't feel nut'in fo' yo', den yo' even crazier den Remy t'ought."

"Ah don't expect ya ta do that, Remy. Hell, Ah don't even think that Ah could do that. Let's just keep some of tha stuff that happened down there quiet, at least fah now."

"If dat's what yo' want Rogue."

"Thank ya sugah. But ya never answered mah first question. What _are_ ya doing here?"

Remy smirked. "Would yo' believe Remy if he told yo' dat he joined de X-Men in hopes o' gettin' closer t' yo'?"

Rogue quirked one of her eyebrows at him. "Considering that when Ah left N'awlins Ah told ya that Ah had no idea of if, or when, Ah'd be returnin' ta tha X-Men? Naw, not really."

Remy shrugged. "It was worth de try, non? Well, anyway, after yo' left, it got kinda borin' down in N'awlins. Aside from a few side jobs, nut'in big was gon' on. Remy figures its de calm befo' the storm." Remy paused and seemed to contemplate his next words. When he spoke again, it was a with a quiet seriousness that Rogue didn't usually associate with him.

"Dere's somethin' brewin' wit'in de Guilds, Rogue. Remy could feel de tension risin'. He don't know what it is, but dere's somethin' dere. Even Julien seemed t' be walkin' on pins and needles. An' yo' know dat boy don't get nervous easily. So Remy split. Talked t' _mon pere_ about it and he t'inks it was a good idea. When all de hell does break loose, dey gon' need someone on de outside, someone who ain't gon' be trapped in de center. But in de mean time… Remy don't know. Maybe he jus' wanted t' do somethin' productive fo' once. Be on de good side instead o' de bad."

Rogue was silent for a while and simply watched the waves crash against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Remy was right, something was happening. But it wasn't just amongst the Guilds, Rogue could sense it too. It was this foreboding feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. Looking down at their intertwined fingers, she sighed deeply.

"After Ah left, Ah finally decided ta see Irene."

Remy looked at her carefully, trying to size up whether that was a good or bad thing. Personally, he believed it was dangerous to tamper with the future. And when one sought the help of a clairvoyant such as Destiny, it was hard to believe that they would not end up tampering with their own future, and thus, possibly destroying it. But, then again, he also knew that Rogue hadn't sought Irene for her prophetic powers. There were other questions that Rogue had wanted answered.

"An' did she help yo' any?"

Rogue took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Not really. Ah mean, she told mah some stuff, but Ah almost think that she just made thangs even more confusing. The answers she did have just brought more questions." Rogue moved her left hand to squeeze the bridge of her nose. "Do ya ever get tha feeling that maybe Ah'm just not supposed ta know?"

Remy took his free hand and gently tipped her face so that she was forced to look at him. Though she had gotten good at controlling her emotions, thanks in part to him, he could still read her well enough. Rogue's feelings of longing and sadness were rolling off of her in waves and it took all the control that Remy had not to use his empathy to make her happy. He'd learned the hard way that she did not like him tampering with her emotions, no matter how noble his intentions were.

"We're gon' t' figure it all out, Rogue. I promise yo' dat no matter what it takes, m' gon' t' make sure dat all yo' questions are answered."

Rogue smiled softly at Remy. The only things he ever referred to in the first person were the things that mattered most to him. And Rogue's heart couldn't help but jump a bit when she recognized that it was obvious that _she_ meant so much to him.

"Thanks Remy. Ah can't tell ya just how much that means ta mah."

"Yo' don't have t' _chere_. Remy knows."

Their eyes were locked onto each other and a thousand words were spoken, though neither uttered a single word. They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither Southerner able to pull away from the strong connection. A lump began to rise in Remy's throat and he tried to open his mouth, but found that he couldn't. Rogue looked at him hopefully, but upon realizing that noting more would be said, she sighed and finally shook herself free from the pull of his eyes.

"Ah gotta start heading back. Kitty wanted ta do something with mah tonaight."

Remy merely nodded in response and the two made their way back to the mansion in silence. When they reached the front doors, Remy's grip on Rogue's hand tightened and he quickly pulled her to him. She looked up at him in surprise as his gloved right hand gently caressed the side of her face.

"T'morrow work fo' yo'?"

She quirked her eyebrow at him. "Depends on what ya have in mind, sugah."

"Not sho' yet. How about Remy surprises yo' wit' something special t'morrow around six?"

Rogue shrugged. "Fahne by mah."

Remy gently smiled at her and lightly kissed the top of her head. "Remy'll see yo' t'morrow at six. Until den, au revoir _mon chere_."

"Wait," Rogue said, "where are ya going?"

"Dunno. Remy's got some t'inkin t' do. An' since yo' and de Kit cat gon' be doing de girl's t'ing tonight…guess Remy'll jus' have t' fend fo' himself, non?" With that he kissed the back of her hand and started down the stairs, already fingering the motorcycle keys in his pocket.

"Don't get ta drunk Cajun! Ah don't wanna have ta explain ta tha younger members what a hangover is."

Remy chuckled to himself as Rogue shook her head and headed into the mansion. Some things would never change, not that she was complaining.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. And I know that Julien and Remy were never friends (in both the comics and cartoons), but for the sake of my plot line (or what I think it will be), I need them to be. Besides, I'm tired of Julien and Bella always causing trouble for poor Remy. And besides, I think what I have planned for him and Rogue should be more than enough! Read and review!

Oh, I stole one of the lines in this story from one of my favorite movies. The first person to guess what the line is and what the movie is gets a special present!


	4. Chapter Three

When Rogue opened the door to her bedroom, the first thing she noticed was the petite brunette sitting on the edge of her bed. Kitty Pryde was nervously twisting the green sheets of the bed around in circles as she glanced up into Rogue's questioning face.

"What are ya doing in mah room, Kit?"

"I just, like, wanted to talk. I mean, we haven't really, like, had a chance to since you got back, ya know?"

Rogue hesitated, not sure how much information she should share with Kitty. Though the girl was definitely understanding, she practically ran the gossip mill at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Students. Or at least she had three years ago. As if she had been reading Rogue's mind, Kitty spoke up from her position on Rogue's bed.

"People change Rogue. I've changed. I've matured. You know you can, like, trust me."

"Ah know Kit, its just…" Rogue sighed.

_Ya know ya owe it ta her. After three years… she deserves some sort of an explanation. Besides, she was tha closest thang ya had ta a best friend here at tha Institute._

Slowly, Rogue moved over to the inviting, queen sized bed and sat next to Kitty. She didn't know where to start. But there were some things that she just couldn't, _wouldn't_, tell Kitty. Some things she wasn't ready to admit to herself yet. Yet, at the same time, she didn't want to lie…

"Ah can't tell ya everythang Kit. There's just some stuff Ah'm not ready ta share. But Ah'll give ya tha gist of it, ok?"

Kitty nodded, too intrigued to speak a word. She excitedly tucked a piece of her brown bob behind her ear and leaned forward, ready to listen intently to every word that Rogue had to say.

"Well, Ah traveled down South. Ah just needed ta clear mah head, ya know? Ah had ta figure out who Ah was. When Ah left, mah mind was such a mess."

"Did you figure everything out?"

"No, not everythang. But my trip helped mah realize who Ah am and what Ah really believe, especially regarding mutant-human relations. Ah never really thought there was much hope for us, ya know? At least not in tha way the Prof saw it. But now…" Rogue smiled as her thoughts briefly took her back to New Orleans.

* * *

_One year and five months previous, Head Quarters of the New Orleans Thieves Guild_

"I can't do it Devon," _Jacob stated despairingly._

"_Can't_ ain't in de vocabulary o' a t'ief, boy. We strive fo' perfection an' we don' stop 'till we find it. _Comprenez?" the forty-year-old thief stated with a brusque severity._

_In a fit of anger, Jacob kicked the trash can standing in front of him clear across the workout room and into a rack of free weights, sending both the rack and the weights tumbling to the ground. Devon glared angrily at the young boy in front of him._

"Do dat again and yo' _will_ regret it. I'll tell Jean-Luc t' move yo' down a level o' two in yo' trainin', which'll make it at least two mo' years befo' yo' first mission. An' dat's a _supervised_ mission."

_Jacob paled considerably._ "Please don't do that, Devon. I've worked too hard for this."

"Den don' give me anymo' lip, yo' understand?"

_He nodded._ "I'm sorry, its just…" _Jacob sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to keep his composure. _"Its just so damn hard sometimes. You can't understand what its like, not having control over your own body." _The young boy sunk to the ground in a defeated hopelessness._

_The harsh look on Devon's face softened considerably and he silently walked across the room and brought the trashcan back to where Jacob was sitting. He sat it directly in front of the thirteen-year-old boy._

"Yo' right, I don' understand. An' it sucks, but its somethin' yo' can overcome. D'yo' t'ink dat Jean-Luc would have recruited yo' all de way from DC jus' t' give up on yo' now dat yo've developed a mutation? _Non_! But yo' have t' keep workin'. _Merde_, when Remy first developed his mutation, I t'ought he'd blow up de entire house! But he kept on practicing' an' now look at 'im. He's de Prince o' T'ieves."

"Do you think that I'll ever be that good Devon?"

_Devon shrugged. _"Who knows? But if yo' want t' be as good as de Prince, yo' can' keep makin' t'ings disappear at random. So let's try dis again."

_Devon offered Jacob an encouraging smile and the boy stood. Placing his right hand on the lid of the trash can, Jacob concentrated as hard as he could and slowly but surely, the lid turned invisible._

_Rogue quietly slipped out of the training room. She turned and continued her trip to the kitchen, where she, Tante Matte, and Merci were planning on cooking dinner for the Guild that night. As she turned the last corner, she collided into something hard and tall and would have crashed to the ground if it weren't for the cat-like reflexes she had picked up thanks to her training with Jean-Luc._

"Desole, Rogue. I didn' hear yo' coming. I'm impressed, yo've become quite de sneaky one."

_Rogue smiled at the tall, brunette man in front of her. _"Ah owe that ta ya father. Jean-Luc's an excellent trainer."

"Don' I know it. _Mon pere_ trained bot' me and Remy, swore we'd be de last ones, t'. Yo' one lucky girl Rogue, never t'ought I'd see de day…"

"Speaking of trainers, why didn't y'all tell mah Devon had a soft side? Ah saw him training tha Junior, Jacob, and he almost seemed… nice."

_Henri chuckled._ "Jacob's had a rough time wit' his mutation. De poor kid keeps makin' t'ings disappear. He's been a hard one t' train, dat's fo' sure. But Devon hasn' complained once."

"Ah'm surprised that he even agreed ta train tha boy."

"Agreed? Devon _requested_ t' have Jacob as his Junior."

_Rogue's eyes widened in surprise._ "He _what_?"

"O' course. Devon knew dat wit' his mutation, Jacob would require mo' practice, mo' control den most t'ieves. An' Devon's great at bringin' out de best in people. He has an understandin' side, believe it o' not, especially when it comes t' mutants. He's actually pro-mutant rights. Devon may be a mean old bastard , but he's fair. I'll give him dat much."

_Henri glanced down at his watch and let loose a string of curses._ "I got t' be goin' Rogue. Jocelyn's gon' t' kill me if I'm late."

_With that, Henri walked off while Rogue stood rooted to the floor. Devon was _extremely_ confrontational and traditional, not at all someone she would have pinned to be pro-mutant rights. Slowly, a small smile crept its way on her face as she continued her walk to the kitchen._

Maybe there's hope for human-mutant peace after all, _she thought._

_Rogue's head was so busy thinking about the possibility that maybe Xavier's dream wasn't so impossible after all that she forgot to po__nder just who the hell was this Jocelyn._

* * *

"Now Ah have hope."

Kitty smiled at her friend and the two continued talking until the sun began to set and they finally decided it would be good to get out and have a girl's night on the town. Kitty ran to inform Jean, as Rogue had agreed to let the older girl accompany them on their little adventure, and when she returned, she and Rogue began getting for dinner and some fun at a club just outside of Bayville.

"So," Kitty began casually, "you told me all about your time in, like, Mississippi and Alabama, but you didn't say much about Louisiana. How was it down there? Did you, like, run into any handsome Cajun's?" Kitty asked with a suggestive wink. "You know that Gambit, like, lives here now right?"

Rogue nodded and she continued searching through her clothes for the outfit she wanted to wear that night. "Yeah, Ah know. Ah ran inta him outside in tha gardens. As a matter of fact, Ah did see him in N'awlins."

Kitty smiled knowingly. "And? Like, what happened? Don't try to tell me that, like, sparks didn't fly. I know all about your little crush on him."

Rogue looked up from what she was doing and quirked an eyebrow at Kitty. "Ah would hardly call what Ah felt fah Remy a crush."

Kitty's eyes lit up in excitement. "So you do admit that you, like, liked him! I knew it! But you still didn't say whether or not…" Kitty paused mid-sentence and eyed Rogue, who had gone back to searching through her bags, incredulously. "Wait a second, did you just, like, call him Remy?"

Rogue rolled her eyes and repressed a sigh. "Yes Ah did. And if ya must know, Remy and Ah did chat a bit, as Ah did stay in Louisiana for a portion of my trip." _A very long portion_, Rogue thought to herself.

"And?"

"And he helped mah a lot. He got mah ta open up more than Ah thought Ah could. Remy's a great guy."

Kitty squealed with enthusiasm as she rushed over to Rogue's side. "This is so, like, perfect! I, like, totally have to set you two up! You two would be so cute together. But how to do it, that's, like, the question. I suppose I could…"

Rogue laughed slightly as Kitty launched into all the "perfect ways" that she could get Rogue and Remy together. Then she began gushing on how "absolutely wonderful" they would be together. But before she could get to planning their wedding (Kitty was sure that Remy would propose once the two fell "desperately in love with each other"), which Rogue knew she would if she was allowed to, Rogue interrupted her.

"Sorry Kitty, but ya services ain't really required."

Kitty paused mid-rant and turned to her highly amused friend. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if ya promise not ta flip out and scream tha news through tha Institute," Rogue said with a glare, "Ah'll tell ya."

"Cross my heart and hope to die. Now spill!"

"Remy and Ah already have plans fah tomorrow naight. We're gonna go on a date."

Kitty let loose a high-pitched squeal again and nearly tackled Rogue. "Are you, like, serious? This is so, like, totally amazing Rogue! Why are you not more excited? Omigod! We totally have to plan your outfit and make sure everything is absolutely perfect!"

"Kit! Calm. Down. Ah do NOT want ya ta interfere in any way, shape, or form. Ya understand? Ah want ta keep this quiet, if ya don't mind. Ah don't want tha whole Institute in Remy's and my business and Ah want ta let thangs happen naturally. So this is not tha tahme for ya ta play matchmaker, got it?"

Kitty giggled and pretended to salute Rogue. "Yes ma'am."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Now, let's focus on tonaight, ok? What do ya think about this outfit?"

Rogue held up a pair of low-rise blue jeans and a purple tube top. Kitty's eyes widened in surprise. "I like it, but are you, like, sure?"

Rogue scrunched up her nose and checked over the outfit. It wasn't overly scandalous or appalling so she had no idea why Kitty was hesitant. "Yeah, why? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, but will you be comfortable? I mean, you, like, never used to wear stuff like that. Not that it's a bad thing, but… wow, things really have changed, haven't they?"

Rogue smiled. "Not that much Kit, besides, Ah'll wear a jean jacket over it and a pair of black gloves so that mah skin's not ta exposed."

"As long as you're comfortable Rogue."

The two exchanged smiles and Kitty headed to her room to change into the outfit she had picked out for the night. An hour later, when all three girls were finally ready, they met in the grand foyer. Jean had on cute black skirt that accentuated her long legs and an emerald tank top that dipped moderately low in the front. She flashed a smile at Kitty, who was dressed in a pair of low-rise black slacks and a cute, red halter top that showed off her slim waistline.

The two X-women glanced up and saw Rogue descending the large staircase. Both of their eyes widened in surprise. Sure, Kitty had known what Rogue's outfit would look like, but the way she carried herself was what threw both her and Jean off. True, Rogue had never been one to look down to anyone, but the old Rogue _never_ would have carried herself so… self-assuredly in a tube top and low-rise jeans. The old Rogue would have self-consciously covered her bare stomach with folded arms and glanced about nervously for fear of accidentally touching someone else. This Rogue strolled down the steps with her arms hanging loosely by her side and an air of coolness about her.

When she reached the bottom of the steps, Rogue smirked knowingly at her teammates and friends. "Y'all can stop looking so shocked now. Ah swear its still mah."

Jean smile brightly at Rogue. "You look wonderful." _And so happy… maybe it was best that she left. She seems much more at ease with herself._

"Well, what are we waiting for? The clubs won't, like, be open all night. Let's vamos!"

Jean and Rogue shared a glance at the exuberance exuding off of Kitty, but grabbed their jackets nonetheless. "I'm, like, driving!" Kitty shouted and ran out to the garage before either girl could protest.

Rogue looked at Jean nervously. "Is she serious?"

Jean smiled and laughed. "Don't worry, she's much better at driving. Besides, her car is the best one for clubbing. It's a Mustang convertible that her parents got for her back when she turned eighteen."

Praying that Jean was right and Kitty's driving had indeed improved, Rogue headed out and saw that Kitty had already pulled her baby blue convertible out of the garage and was waiting in the driver's seat, Shania Twain's "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" blasting from her stereo.

"C'mon guys!" she shouted.

As Jean and Rogue hopped into the car, Rogue couldn't help but feel giddy as the three began laughing and reminiscing about old times at the Institute. The troubled future she was worried about melted away and for one night, she was completely at ease catching up with her old friends.

A/N: Sorry its so short but I figured I might as well update a shorter chapter sooner then a longer chapter later… but the next chapter won't take so long I promise!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, please continue doing so! And everyone else… hint hint…


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